Watch Those Promises!
Preaching
Lions And Cows Dining Together
And 111 Other Sermon Ideas
Object:
Purpose Statement: Christians need to be careful concerning making promises, and then know how to deal with the guilt of broken promises.
Judges 11:30-40 records a terrible story that hopefully is apocryphal. We would like to believe this didn't really happen. Jephthah is leading the Israelites in battle against the Ammonites and promises God that if he is given the victory he will burn as an offering the first person he meets coming out of his house when he returns home. Of course, the first person to greet him on his return is his daughter who runs out excited and happy to see her daddy. Jephthah believes his promise to God is sacred and offers his daughter as a sacrifice. Where was the ram caught in the bush (Genesis 22:13)?
a. God doesn't make deals. It would be mistaken to believe that we can bargain with God. We can't offer to do something if God will reward us in some way in return. Yet sometimes our superstition causes us to believe by accepting some task for God, doing some good deed or by mending our ways, God will give us some benefit. "God, I will stop cursing if you give our team the victory in this tournament." "God, I will go to church every Sunday unless its raining, if you will help me get this job." We will even fool ourselves into believing what we want is so important and so right that God must want it, also, enhancing the probability that God will be willing to deal with us. Unfortunately, Jephthah was mistaken in believing that God gave him the victory over the Ammonites and that God desired the daughter as a burnt offering.
b. Be careful what you promise. Jephthah had to be out of his mind to make such a promise. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 cautions us to think carefully about our commitments before we make them (v. 2). It is important to keep promises (v. 4), it reflects on our trustworthiness and integrity, and we should treat promises made to others as promises made to God. Our wedding vows are usually done in a worship setting and a Christian service, and should be considered promises to God as well as to our partner. If promises made to others are not kept, it reflects on our faith. Ecclesiastes admonishes us not to make any commitments at all rather than make them and break them (v. 5). It may be appropriate here to discuss what Jesus meant (Matthew 5:33-37) by his comments on vows. His words were tantamount to saying to "swear on the Bible" is superfluous or totally unnecessary. As a Christian our word is entirely trustworthy. We only need to say "Yes" or "No" and that is sufficient. To have to certify our word with, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle ..." is to suggest that without such substantiation we cannot be trusted.
c. Don't keep bad promises. Let's take a vote; how many think Jephthah was wrong to keep his promise? It seems to be unanimous. The sin against his daughter was many times worse than a broken agreement, even one made to God. We must always weigh the difference between the lesser of two evils. Keeping a rash or foolish commitment that will result in further harm or an unfortunate act is compounding the mistake.
d. How do we resolve guilt over broken promises? Our character is at stake. If we cannot keep our word, it is a blight on our integrity. However, as just mentioned, it is entirely inappropriate to keep a harmful contract. The guilt should be over making an inappropriate pact in the first place, and not in breaking it. Breaking it was part of the remedy in a bad situation. On the other hand, we must repent and seek forgiveness when we fail to keep pledges that merit our solemn word. If the promise was worthy, we must deal with the guilt of breaking it as we would other sins. Reparations to the injured party may be called for to right wrongs and salvage our character as Christians.
Judges 11:30-40 records a terrible story that hopefully is apocryphal. We would like to believe this didn't really happen. Jephthah is leading the Israelites in battle against the Ammonites and promises God that if he is given the victory he will burn as an offering the first person he meets coming out of his house when he returns home. Of course, the first person to greet him on his return is his daughter who runs out excited and happy to see her daddy. Jephthah believes his promise to God is sacred and offers his daughter as a sacrifice. Where was the ram caught in the bush (Genesis 22:13)?
a. God doesn't make deals. It would be mistaken to believe that we can bargain with God. We can't offer to do something if God will reward us in some way in return. Yet sometimes our superstition causes us to believe by accepting some task for God, doing some good deed or by mending our ways, God will give us some benefit. "God, I will stop cursing if you give our team the victory in this tournament." "God, I will go to church every Sunday unless its raining, if you will help me get this job." We will even fool ourselves into believing what we want is so important and so right that God must want it, also, enhancing the probability that God will be willing to deal with us. Unfortunately, Jephthah was mistaken in believing that God gave him the victory over the Ammonites and that God desired the daughter as a burnt offering.
b. Be careful what you promise. Jephthah had to be out of his mind to make such a promise. Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 cautions us to think carefully about our commitments before we make them (v. 2). It is important to keep promises (v. 4), it reflects on our trustworthiness and integrity, and we should treat promises made to others as promises made to God. Our wedding vows are usually done in a worship setting and a Christian service, and should be considered promises to God as well as to our partner. If promises made to others are not kept, it reflects on our faith. Ecclesiastes admonishes us not to make any commitments at all rather than make them and break them (v. 5). It may be appropriate here to discuss what Jesus meant (Matthew 5:33-37) by his comments on vows. His words were tantamount to saying to "swear on the Bible" is superfluous or totally unnecessary. As a Christian our word is entirely trustworthy. We only need to say "Yes" or "No" and that is sufficient. To have to certify our word with, "Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle ..." is to suggest that without such substantiation we cannot be trusted.
c. Don't keep bad promises. Let's take a vote; how many think Jephthah was wrong to keep his promise? It seems to be unanimous. The sin against his daughter was many times worse than a broken agreement, even one made to God. We must always weigh the difference between the lesser of two evils. Keeping a rash or foolish commitment that will result in further harm or an unfortunate act is compounding the mistake.
d. How do we resolve guilt over broken promises? Our character is at stake. If we cannot keep our word, it is a blight on our integrity. However, as just mentioned, it is entirely inappropriate to keep a harmful contract. The guilt should be over making an inappropriate pact in the first place, and not in breaking it. Breaking it was part of the remedy in a bad situation. On the other hand, we must repent and seek forgiveness when we fail to keep pledges that merit our solemn word. If the promise was worthy, we must deal with the guilt of breaking it as we would other sins. Reparations to the injured party may be called for to right wrongs and salvage our character as Christians.
